Abstract
Authors have developed a new, practical method to reconstruct cerebral surface anatomical images for better surgical orientation and surgical planning. Using a personal computer and a commercially available image handling software, an area encompassing the surface gyri and sulci is selected from the most superficial slice of T1-weighted MR images, after which this selected area, on adjusting the alignment, is overlayed onto the next superficial slice. By repeating this procedure for 4 to 7 times, the brain surface image obtained clearly displays the gyri and sulci. A vascular image of the cerebral surface can also be obtained by this same method by using T2-weighted images or MR angiograms. Then, by combining both the brain surface and vascular images, an anatomically reconstructed image of the cerebral surface is achieved. The outlines of the lesion or ventricles can also be added, if necessary, and the entire procedure takes an hour or less. The authors believe that this method is superior to conventional surface anatomy scanning for discriminating anatomical structures close to a lesion. This surface anatomical imaging method has been used for the surgical planning and its use helped to minimize surgical damage to the eloquent areas.
